Thawlla said that the merger ceremony would be formally held at Siaha town, the district headquarters of southernmost Mizoram’s Siaha district soon (File)

The Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) on Wednesday announced that it would soon merge with the BJP. Founder president of the MDF P P Thawlla announced the party’s decision at a press conference in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district. Thawlla said that the merger ceremony would be formally held at Siaha town, the district headquarters of southernmost Mizoram’s Siaha district soon. “The merger function would be held as soon as Union Ministers can come for the ceremony,” he said.

THe MDF was earlier an electoral ally of Mizoram’s main opposition party the Mizo National Front (MNF). BJP Mizoram unit president Prof John V Hluna said that the BJP would open an account in the 2018 state assembly polls as at least one BJP candidate belonging to the Chakma community would win in the areas where the Chakmas are concentrated. Hluna urged the Mizo people to distinguish between the Indian citizens and foreigners in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) area.